Real-time irradiation system using patterned light to actuate light-driven on-chip gel actuators

Yuha Koike,Yoshiyuki Yokoyama,Shunnosuke Kodera,Takeshi Hayakawa

doi:10.1186/s40648-022-00220-0

Abstract

A light-driven gel actuator is a potential candidate for a single-cell manipulation tool because it allows cells to be manipulated while ensuring less damage. Moreover, a large number of actuators can be integrated into a microfluidic chip because no wiring is required. Previously, we proposed a method for cell manipulation using light-driven gel actuators. However, the system used in the previous work did not allow the targeted cells to be manipulated in real time because the system used in the previous work could only irradiate preprogrammed patterned light. Moreover, when a large number of gel actuators are integrated into a chip, the Gaussian distribution of the laser light source results in the response characteristics of the gel actuators varying with the location of the actuator. In this work, we constructed a system that homogenized the intensity of the patterned light used for irradiation, allowing multiple gel actuators to be driven in parallel in real time. The intensity-homogenized patterned light improved the variations in the response characteristics of the gel actuators, and as a result, we succeeded in actuating gel actuators with various light patterns in real time.

Highlights

Micromanipulation techniques are essential for analyzing cells or tissues in the fields of medicine and cell biology [1]
Mechanical micromanipulation is a standard method for cell manipulation and analysis [2]
Mechanical micromanipulators can be equipped with various end effectors, such as glass capillaries, nanoneedles, or electrode sensors [3], and can be used for a range of cell manipulations, including fixing, rotating and injecting DNA or RNA into cells

Summary

Introduction

Micromanipulation techniques are essential for analyzing cells or tissues in the fields of medicine and cell biology [1]. Mechanical micromanipulation is a standard method for cell manipulation and analysis [2]. This method uses a mechanical micromanipulator having multiple degrees of freedom (DOF) and gives high positioning accuracy. Mechanical micromanipulators can be equipped with various end effectors, such as glass capillaries, nanoneedles, or electrode sensors [3], and can be used for a range of cell manipulations, including fixing, rotating and injecting DNA or RNA into cells. They are widely used for medical and biological research. Mechanical micromanipulators require highly skilled operators, leading to low throughput and fewer

Methods

Results

Conclusion